4 Ways to Spice up a T-shirt and Jeans Look

Before we dive into our topic, I’d like to make a bit of a personal announcement… I am happy to announce that this past Thursday, National Coming Out Day for those of you who may not know, I sent a letter out to all of my close friends announcing that I am transgender and plan to within the next year start living my life the way I have always hoped, as a woman. The responses were overwhelmingly heartwarming and truly solidified my belief that my friends are amazingly accepting and loving people. I love them all to pieces! This meaningful step forward got me thinking more about how I plan to present myself to others as I slowly advance towards finally living full-time.

One of the difficult things (it seems at this stage of my life that all things are difficult) I have found in preparing for this leap of faith into living full time (or even presenting part-time) as a woman is developing a look and wardrobe that will not only be stylish, but also be something practical that I will feel confident in wearing as all those important people in my life start to shape their new views of me. Despite the numerous beautifully feminine frocks hanging in my closet, I’m not always comfortable or confident with being overtly feminine and find myself looking for an androgynous step of fashion along the way to transitioning to full time. At a time when insecurities mount, and nothing seems to look right in the mirror, what is a girl to do? We’ve all been in that situation... frustrated, mildly panicked, insecure… it’s an overwhelmingly vulnerable feeling. So, what can we do?

I’ve found that the simplicity of a casual style is the most effective way to restore my confidence and offer that reassurance that can be so important when I look in the mirror. What could be simpler than the common T-shirt and jeans? Let’s explore a few ways we can make this tried and true look fashionable and stylish, while still maintaining its comforting, simple appeal. After all… there isn’t much more comfy than a t-shirt and jeans.

As you can imagine, this all starts with a fabulous pair of jeans. Investing money in a quality pair of jeans that fit well and look great is the most important investment you can make in a wardrobe. Spend plenty of time trying on jeans and finding the perfect pair, you’ll be rewarded from the effort every time you wear them. Opt for mid to high rise jeans (higher up on your waist), darker washes (darker color), and skinny or straight leg cuts for the most flattering and versatile options. Spending $50-$100 on a nice pair of jeans is a solid investment in your style future.

The next ingredient after the jeans is a simple, but nice, typically solid color, T-shirt or top. Almost all stores sell many flavors of t-shirt styles usually in a rainbow of colors. Keeping what we learned about flattering necklines in mind as you choose, sticking to scoop or v-necks for the most flattering look. Stores such as Forever 21, or American Apparel (and many, many others!) offer wide arrays of tops in their “basics” sections that will let you select any style or color your heart desires.

With our two key ingredients in hand, its time to take a look at 4 ways we can make tasteful yet notable style choices for this simple look.

1. Layering

            You’ve heard me mention layering several times before, and will probably hear it again and again and again… and then some more most likely! Layering is a great way to create visual interest in an outfit as well as accomplish many other more specific goals. We’ll discuss now how a layer can add just that little extra touch to take a T-shirt and jeans to another level.

What can you layer? The answer is just about anything, but for now, let’s stick to pieces that open in the front such as blazers, jackets, or cardigan sweaters. Why is this you may ask? The point is to add another layer of interest so something that completely covers the layer below it wont really help you (unless you’re goal is to be warmer!). Pieces with open front allow the middle section of a Tee or top to show through while add their own new color or texture to frame it. If you have items that don’t open in the front, don’t fret… experiment with the lower layer peaking through the neckline. Let’s take a look at an example of simple layering in action:

Here we have a simple v-neck, white tee with a three-quarter sleeve, evergreen blazer over the top (by Casual Couture). We’ve added another color (actually two in this particular case) and new lines to enhance the interest of the whole outfit. Exciting, yes, I know!

When picking out the perfect blazer you’ll have a ton of options from which to chose, ranging from casual to more formal business-y styles. Any style can work, either dressing the outfit up or down, but I recommend sticking to something more casual to start, especially if you’re still unsure about the whole idea. Avoid blazers with shoulder pads to minimize the size of your shoulders, finding one without padding may be a little tricky, but they are certainly out there. Since it is likely a nice blazer will be a bit more of a pricey piece, try to get the most mileage out of it by purchasing it in a versatile color that can be paired with most of your wardrobe (ie. neutrals, darker colors)

Here are a couple more quick examples of layers:

These two examples show more ideas for layer with either a cardigan sweater or a vest… the possibilities are endless and as easy as simply putting on another layer. One question you may have is whether or not to tuck in that bottom t-shirt layer… my preference is resoundingly not to tuck in and I’ll tell you why… I believe it looks more casual and is no hassle to maintain during the day (a tucked shirt may have you constantly fighting bunches or bulges). The times when you do want to tuck shirts in are when you’re trying to create a smooth layer underneath say a pull over sweater, or in more formal situations. Having a stripe of contrast where a Tee pokes out at the bottom under a sweater can be cute as well.

Lastly, you can play with layering t-shirts themselves, short sleeve over long sleeve, longline, different colors, different necklines… you name it! This is a useful trick many times when a t-shirt is just a little too shear which tends to be common with light colors. Play around with it and see if you come up with anything you like… here is one idea I came up with a burnt orange short sleeve layered over a white long sleeved tee:

2. Accessorize your neck!

            Long necklaces and scarves are great ways to spice up your top, adding another dimension to that plain solid colored T-shirt. We mentioned these ideas specifically when we looked at ways to enhance the bustline, but let’s explore those options a bit further.

Scarves are great for fall, and winter but can even be worn through the summer months as well. In warmer weather you typically want to stick to scarves that are lighter weight materials such as silk, whereas in the winter you can quite happily bundle up in wool or thicker knits.  Here are two scarf ideas:

Don’t be afraid to try patterns, the added texture will create even more interest and help showcase your personal style. Animal prints are great here! The other thing I absolutely love about scarves is that there are a million (and counting) ways to tie them!  Check out this great article on “15 Chic and Creative Ways to Tie a Scarf” or search the Internet to find tons more ideas.

In addition to scarves, you can obviously also add your own touch of personal style with all types of necklaces. There are several examples scattered throughout this post of necklaces I added. Try out longer necklaces to create elongated vertical lines that will look  more slimming and cover more of your torso with your t-shirt as a backdrop. This can be a great opportunity to showcase your favorite jewelry without risking it getting lost in the rest of an outfit.

3. Color Block with Colored Jeans

What is Color Blocking you may ask? You’ve already mostly answered your own question in the name itself! Color blocking is a fashion trend which started in 2011 and came back strong in 2012 (we’ll see if it carries over to 2013!) which combines large blocks of solid colors to create a very colorful, always eye catching look. This style is pretty flashy, especially if you start mixing in neon colors but can look quite trendy if done right. Typically you find color blocking is more of a spring/summer trend but with the right colors (think more understated) it can work for any season. Not entirely my cup of tea, but maybe it is a style you love, so I’m going to give it a go!

A good baby step towards this trend is to simply experiment with colored denim jeans where you would normal wear dark wash regular jeans. After all, this is all about dressing up that plain T-shirt and Jeans.  Colored denim is very much in style currently and can be a great way to spice up your look making it more fashionably adventurous while still staying within that comfort zone.

Here is my best attempt at the bold world of color blocking… I’ve combined a red pair of skinny jeans (the only colored denim I own currently) with a purple top and sprinkled on a bright teal beaded necklace and a solid orange bangle to accessorize. Bold, solid color accessories can add just enough extra pop to color blocking to bring everything together. Not exactly worthy of fashion week, but this was the closest I could get with what I have… maybe next spring I’ll try it out this trend in earnest if it is still alive and well.

For a whole lot more tips, here is a great article on how to pull off the color blocking trend. You can take it way beyond simply a T-shirt and jeans if you like the style and work it into many other outfits. If color blocking works well for you, I’d love to hear any tips and secrets you may have!

4. Add Footwear that Pops

Another idea I like to see to kick the t-shirt and jeans look up a notch is to pair it with footwear that really pops with color. Here I've added those cute red, suede flats you may remember from my post on flattering your feet with a white long sleeved top and black skinny jeans, adding a splash of color to an otherwise monochromatic outfit. You can also try to bring that color in elsewhere too, such as a bright red lipstick perhaps in this case, if you want to coordinate even further.

A t-shirt and jeans offer a simple, comfy canvas that is perfect for adding your personal flare and showcasing statement pieces like jewelry or footwear, since the rest of the outfit tend to be more understated and not compete for attention. 

To summarize 4 ways we discussed at taking that T-shirt and Jeans look to the next level:

             

1. Add Layers! Throw on a blazer, cardigan, vest, or jacket on over the plain t-shirt to get that extra bit of style and interest.
2. Accessorize your Neck. Play with scarves, and longer necklaces in particular
3. Try rocking colored denim, and if you're adventurous, try Color blocking styles with Solid hues, bright accessories.
4. Add shoes that pop
5. As always, experiment with textures & patterns to create visual interest.
6. Combine any of the tips and ideas here together to create your own favorite looks

Hope you enjoyed learning how to spice up your t-shirt and jeans! Be sure to check out “A Stylish Transition” on Facebook and show your support with a “Like” or a “Share”